Rocket launcher



ct. 12, 1948. w. v. GooDHUE ETAL ROCKET LAUNCHER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1946 w E im@ M/UV Um Inf/WZ m 2 W. v. GooDHUE ETAL 2,450,951

ROCKET LAUNCHER' Filed Sept. 25, 1946 4 sheets-sheet 2 mi. v

. Oct. l2, 1948.

W. V. GOODHUE EVAL ROCKET LAUNCHER 4 sheets-sheet 54 Filed Sept. 25, 1946 Oct. i2, 948. w. v. GooDHUE ETAL. v 2,450,95

ROCKET .LUNCHER I Filed Sept. ,25, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 12, 1948 faire@ stars Carter, Tops'ii'eld, Mass.,

"assignors to United ShoeMaciinei-y '.Corporation, Flemington, N. ii.,

a 'corporation of New Jersey Appiicati'on September 25, 1946, Serial No. 699,294

(Cl.89ll.7f)

This invention relates =to rocket launchers and more particularly to a launcher of the type vdisclosed in application for United States Letters Patent `Serial No.1'68356'74, filed on lJuly 15,1946, in the naine of W. V. Goodhue.

-In 'the operation of the .launcher lreferred to above, rockets are advanced by lgravity from a magazine into iring position -en Ya launching lWay from which they are automatically red upon engaging the terminals of an electrical firing circuit, assuming the circuit to 'be closed. vFiring is interrupted by opening zthe iiring circuit, in which ycasethe radvance of all the 'rockets in the magazine is stopped by the rocket in iiring position. Firing is resumed Aimmediately merely by closing the r'ing circuit, since 'a rocket is always in firing position unless the vsupply of rockets in the magazine has 'been exhausted. Firing by single nre with this ylauncher is effected by closing the iiring circuit Vand then opening it immediately, before the rocket Anext to lbe `fired can reach the firing position.

vThe presence'of aroc'ket always in firing position, as Well as ythe quick 'action required at the ring switch for iiringby single re, gives rise to an element of ydanger 'in the use of the prior launcher 4which it is fan object of `the present invention to avoid, Without detract/ing from desirable features -o'f operation 1such 'as a high rate of continuous nre as Well Iaseasily controlled and quick firing 'by single ffire.

In View of the foregoing, the presentinvention provides van improved rocket launcher in which provision is made, -upon cessation of firing, for stopping the'advance'of :the rocket next to `be fired just short of the firing position, -whereby the ring position is unoccupied by a rocket whenever it is intended not to fire.

As in the prior launcher, the Aadvance of rockets toward the firing position vis under the control of a gate which is operated bylthat movement of `the rocket in ring position immediately preceding its arrival in iiring position.

'In thepresent launcher, lhowever, there is novel means, constituting a feature of the invention, for `immolcilizing the'gate, and lhence preventing the advance 'of a rocket in-to firing position, whenever the supply of rockets l'in the magazine is depletedto a certain number. .As'herern illustrated,

this means includes a trigger which is 'operated by a certain rocket in 1the succession fof 'rockets behind thati-n 'firing vposition to render the `abovementi'oned means inoperative -so long .as the launcher is lloaded with aspeed -'equ'al'1to lits fown inherent speed -of vfiring'. In Ithis case, `the launcher fires continuously by rapid fire.

nII-Iovvever, ring is quickly Vinterrupted by any slacken'ing in the speed 'of loading since'the 'trigger is released iii vno rocket engages it. Consequently,lin thelatterevent the gate is immobilized and holds Ythe rocket next to lbe red out of but closely adjacent to the firing position.

From this point, single nre may b'e effected either -by loading the launcher at the desired speed ci singleiire leaving the firing-circuit-'closed orby manually opera'tinglthe trigger to permit 'the rockets 4to advance, one by one, to the Sring position.

These and other features of lthe invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings and .description fan'd will beset forth in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l1 -is a front elevation of 'an .illustrative launcherrembodying the invention, the launcher being .shownfasset at an elevation 'ofzero degrees and fully loaded, Athe lowermost rocket ybeing in ring lposition;

Fig. `-2 is 'a iside Y'elevation of the launcher Vas viewed from the right in Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation -of the launchershowing the mechanism for llocking the rotor and for operating the launching Way to jettison a mis'red rocket y from the firing position; and

Fig. 4 4is a sectional-side .elevation of `the tstructure shown in Fig-3, the section being Ytaken along the -line IV-IV in Fig. 3. Y

The illustrated launcher comprises a vmagazine I (Fig. Vvl) adapted to-hold seven rockets R, at `a time, the rockets Vbeing advanced by gravity :one by :one into vliirin'g position where they are supported by a -launching 'way 'consisting of a ViiXed rail .lf2 and a pivote'd rail 1'4. A rocket upon arriving in the ring position (that occupied 'by thelowermost rocket in Fig. l) engagesaterminal H5 iin 'an electrical `ring circuit which, by this contact, iis lcompleted through the propellant in the rocket vcausing the 'latter .to be red immedietely.

I VEracle rocketV in falling into tiring position rotates agate 18 through one-'third 'oi :a revolutio-n. If, after a rocket has been fired, there remain only four rockets :in 'the magazine, 'a 'latch 2li) .'(Fgs. -land 3) isswung to immobilize the gate |48 and `'hence `to prevent the advance fof vthe ysucceeding rocket Vintoiiring position. Upon Yloadin'g another rocket into the magazine that rocketl engages a trigger 22 (Figs. 1 and T2) which,

`justed in elevation by turning a crank 25.

through connections with the latch 20, disengages the latch from the gate I8, allowing a rocket to advance to the iiring position. At any time when there are four or less rockets in the magazine the rockets may be red by manually depressing the trigger 22. These rockets may be red by rapidre or single-lire depending upon whether the trigger is held down or actuated once for each round red. Rapid-nre is automatically obtained by loading a launcher at a speed at least equal to its inherent speed of firing. Similarly, singlefire at any desired speed is obtained by loading the launcher at the desired frequency of ring.

If a rocket in firing position misres it may be jettisoned 4by operating a lever 2e which causes the pivoted rail lil to be swung `away from the xed rail i2 far enough to allow the rocket to fall out of the launcher. In this case, the gate i8 is again immobilized by asliding key 28 until the rail I has been returned to its original position.

For aiming purposes, the launcher may 'be ad- The crankoperates a screw 3B which when rotated causes the launcher to pivot about a shaft 32 mounted on a carriage 3Q. To allow the launcher to be trained, the carriage is mounted for rotation in azimuth on a pedestal 35 and is turned by operating another crank 33.

The construction and operation of the illustrated launcher having been briefly outlined, they will now be described in detail.

The magazine le is carried by a frame il@ (Fig. 1) composed of steel angles, channels and plates which are connected by welding except as will be otherwise noted.

A trapezoidal end section 42 of the frame and a similar section 43 at the rear end of the launcher are connected at their right hand corners (Fig. l) by angles M, 45 (Fig. 2) extending lengthwise of the launcher, the angle lll being disposed vertically above the other. The sections 42, d3 near their uppermost corners are connected to the ends of an angle Q8. A series of channels 5o parallel to each other and the end sections 42, 43 extend from the angle i3 to the angle 5, conforming to the change in direction of the upper and outer sides of the end sections at the angle M.

The magazine I0 has a bottom 52 Iwhich is xed to and is supported by all the above mentioned angles and channels providing a rocket supporting surface which first is downwardly inclined, then vertical, and nally concave adjacent to the ring position as Vshown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Perforated ends 5f! for the magazine are channel-shaped in cross section, their lower anges being connected to the bottom 52 and their upper anges 55 partially overlying the end-margins of the bottom. End plates 58, Si), on which the gate I8 and rails l2, i4 are mounted, are bolted to the end sections d2, 43 of the frame and to the lower parts of the ends 54 of the magazine.

The magazine is bounded at its outer Vertical side by a rectangular grill 62 (Fig. 2) having a series of vertically disposed channels 64 connect- .ing the upper and lower members of the grill. The grill is bolted to the end plates 58, 6! just far enough from the vertical portion of the bottom 52 to permit a rocket to fall freely toward the rails l2, lli.

Cooperating lwith the flanges 55 of the maga- Zine, to prevent rockets therein from being dislodged upwardly, is a bar 66 which is bolted to the upper edge of the grill 62 at its mid-point and is also connected to a strut 68, the strut spanning and being bolted to the flanges 55. A plate 'm 4 extends vertically upward from the upper edge of the bottom 52 and has flanged ends which are bolted to the ends 54 of the magazine.

Rockets are loaded into the magazine throughv the space between the plate 'i0 and the strut 6B and are advanced by gravity toward the firing position as they are red, one by one. During this movement they are guided by the engagement of their tail portions with a rail 1.2 which is fastened to the bottom 52 at a slight angle to the direction of the rolling motion of the rockets. Since the launcher will almost invariably be elevated to some extent the rockets will slide axially maintaining their engagement with the rail '12 as they roll down the magazine. Just below the lower end of the rail '12 is a rocket-stop 'l which is secured by a bolt 'i8 and stud 13 to the end plate This stop when engaged by a rocket in firing position locates the latter axially thereof so that the terminal I6 engages a contact band on ne periphery of the rocket. In accordance with known practice in this art, the Contact band is insulated from the rocket case but is electrically connected to the primer for detonating the propellant charge. The rocket case provides a conductor for completing the other side of the circuit to the primer. Similarly, one lead of the rcircuit (not shown) for the launcher is connected to the terminal IS through a junction box xed to the rail I2, while the other lead is grounded on the frame of the launcher.

Tlherrail 'i2 and junction box 86 are provided shown in duplicate, one being at each end of the launcher, for the purpose of adapting the launcher for either a port-side or starboard-side mounting on a landing barge or similar vehicle. rocket stop 'I4 and terminal IS are shown as mounted only at one end (rear) of the launcher but are adapted to be removed and remounted at the other end for the above mentioned purpose.

The gate IBhas a central shaft 82 the ends of which are mounted to rotate in the end plates 58 and 5l). On this shaft just inside of the end plates are xed two three-armed spiders 84, to the outer ends of which are fixed three parallel bars t5. The bars extend through the spider 84 and terminate in short, flattened nibs 88, which are adapted to be engaged by the key 26. A similar set of nibs QQ extend outwardly from the spider 85 and are adapted to be engaged by the latch 20. The bars 86 are reinforced at their mid-points by webs 532 which connect the bars with the shaft 82. Assuming that the magazine is keptA fully loaded as illustrated in Fig. 1, the gate I8, following the ring of the rocket in firing position, is rotated a third of a revolution iby the movement of the next rocket into the firing position. However, if the magazine is not loaded with a speed equal to that of ring, the supply of rockets in the magazine will be depleted tothe point when the trigger 22 rises through the bottom 52 owing to the lack of any rocket over it to hold it down. This action of the trigger, as will presently be described, causes the latch 29 to be swung Vinto the path of the nibs 9B, as a result of which the gate i8 is immobilized; When under these conditions ring ceases, there is no rocket in the ring position and the next rocket to be red is supported by the gate just above the firing position.

Any retrograde movement of the gate I8 is prevented by a pawl 94 (Figs. 1 and 3) which pivots on a stud 96 fixed to the end plate 53. The pawl is urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 9B which is stretchedbetween the upper end of the pawl and a pin l0!) extending from the inner side ofthe end plate 58. The movement of the pawl 24 in this direction is limited by a stop |02 which is iixed to the end plate 53 in such a position that the lower end of the pawl is normally disposed directly over the end of that arm of the spider 84 which is in the path of the rockets. prevented from being dislodged upwardly by the blast oi a fired rocket, cr for any other reason, by Va series` of pawls. |24 which are mounted to swing between the flanges of the channels 64' on pins |116. Each of the pawls is urged in a clockwise direction into the path of the rockets, where they descend vertically into the firingposition, by a. coil. spring |08; These springs, as illustrated in. Fig. 3, encircle the pins mii', one end of each spring engaging its pawl |24, the other end being arranged to engage a stop. IIB iXed to the channel 64.

The mechanism for engaging the latch 2|! with or disengaging it from the gate I8 in response to the operation of the trigger 22 will now `be described in detail. The latch 2i) is mounted to swing on a stud I2 (Figs. 3 and 4) which is Xed to the end plate 653, this movement of the latch away from the gate being limited by a stop H4 which is also Xed to the end plate 52. One end of a link I I6 is pivoted at i |8 to the latch 2|). The other end of the link is pivoted at I 22 to an arcuate lever |22 which is xed to a shaft |24, the shaft being arranged to extend between the end plates 58, Se and being rotatably mounted in them. The shaft |24 is further supported between its ends by bearings |25 (Fig. 2) which are carried by the bottom 52 of the launcher.

Fixed to the shaft |24 is a lever |23 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) to the upper end of which at |35 is pivotally connected a link |32. This link is also pivoted at |34 (Fig. l) to the lower end of the trigger 22, the trigger being pivoted on a pin |35 which is mounted in a pair of brackets |38 xed to the lower side of the bottom 52. A spring |45 stretched between the lever |28 and a part of the frame 42 is arranged normally to swing the level |28 in a counterclockwise direction. If, therefore, no rocket is above the trigger 22, the latter will rise through an opening in the bottom 52 of the magazine, and the latch 25| will be swung through the connections just described so as to engage that nib 5G which is approaching and is nearest to the latch.

It will now be apparent that so long as the magazine i6 is full of rockets the trigger 22 will continuously be depressed. Accordingly, the latch 20 will not interfere with the rotation of the gate I8 and the rockets will be iired as fast as they fall into ring position, the speed of firing being limited only by the time required for a rocket to leave the launcher after the ring circuit is closed plus the time required for the succeedng rocket to fall into the ring position. Firing may be quickly interrupted (without opening the ring switch) by not loading the launcher, in which case, assuming the launcher to be fully loaded when a decision to cease ring is made, two rockets will be iired automatically prior to the cessation of ring. From this point the remaining rockets in the magazine may be fired by single re either by loading the magazine at the desired speed of single lire or by manually operating the trigger 22, once for each rocket to be red.

In case of a misiire, the defective rocket can be jettisoned by swinging the rail I4 far enough away from the rail I2 to permit the rocket in That rocket directly above the gate i8 is..

iiring positionv to fall by gravityy outof the launcher. With this purpose in view, the railV |4 is rotatably mounted on a shaft- I42 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which is secured by nuts |44. at its ends to the end plates 58, 6I). The rail I4 is swung for the above mentioned purpose by moving the lever 24 downwardly. This lever is pivoted at m45 to a pair of lugs which are xed tothe lower side of the bottom 52. A spring |46, which is stretched between the lever and a pin |48 mounted inV one of the channels 50, yieldingly urges the lever 24 in a clockwise direction toward its uppermost position. Gne end of a link |50 is pivoted. at |52 to the lever 24, the lower end of this link being pivot-ed at |54 to a lever |56 (Figs, 3 and 4). This lever is fixed to a shaft |58 theends of which are rotatably mounted at the end plates 58, 6D. Fixed to the shaft |58 just inside the end plates are a pair of levers |60 to each of which is pivoted at |62 a link |24. The lower end of each link |64 is pivoted at |66 to' one of a pair of bifurcated arms |53 which are integral with the rail I4.

It will now be apparent that the levers |65 and links |54 constitute toggles which are in a straightened conditioned when the lever 24 is in its uppermost position. Under this condition the rail |4 is in its normal operative position in which it cooperates with the rail I2 to support the rocket in ring position and to provide a launching way for directing the initial flight of a red rocket. It is also evident from Fig. 3 that when the above mentioned toggles are collapsed (upon lowering the lever 24), the rail I4 will be swung away fromY the rail l2 so as to permit the rocket in tiring f position to fall out of the launcher between the rails. Before the rail |4 will have been swung far enough toward its jettisoning position to release the rocket in ring position, the key 25 will have been slidr into the path of movement of the nibs 8B so as to immobilize the gate I8, and hence to hold the rocket succeeding that to be jettisoned above the firing position. The key 25 also is not disengaged from the gate I3 until the rail I4 has been returned near enough to its operative position to prevent a rocket from falling out of the launcher.

The key 25 as shown in Fig. 4 is T-shaped in cross section andy has a flange lll. which is adapted to be engaged by the nibs 85. The key slides horizontally, to move the flange il@ into and out of the path of the nibs 88, in a pair of' bearings |22 which protrude from the inner side of the end plate 58. The keyl2 is operated in synchronism with the rail I4, in the manner described above,

by a link |14 one end o which at IIS is pivoted to the'key. The link |74 at its other end is pivoted at |52 to that lever |55 and link |64 which are adjacent to the end plate 58.

As mentioned above, the launcher may be set at different angles of elevation by tilting it about the shaft 32 (Fig. l). This shaft is received in the pair of lugs |13 which are fixed' to a plate at the top of the carriage 34. A similar pair of lugs |82 is xed to the bottom side of each of the end sections 42 and 43, each pair of lugs being bored to receive the shaft 32. It is to be understood that only one pair of the lugs |82 is used at a time depending upon whether the launcher is to be arranged for a port-side or a starboard-side mounting. The shaft 32 is held in assembled relation with the lugs |18 and the appropriate pair of lugs |82 by an arm |84 which is iixed to the shaft and is bored at its upper end to receive a clamp screw |85. This screw is threaded into that end frame d2 or 43 which is associated with the pair of lugs E82 being used.

The elevating screw 30 is threaded in a swivel block E86 having trunnions 88 on which the block is rotatably mounted within a support ESG. This support is xed to the frame by a plurality of diagonal braces H92 which connect the support with the various corners of the frame li. The lower end of the screw 30 is reduced to form a pintle i941 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing ist mounted toswivel with changes in the inclination of the elevating screw 3i! as the elevation of the magazine is changed. To permit this action of the bearing 95 its shank is rotatably mounted in a bearing i Se which is integral with a base 203. This base is fixed to the plate its? by a series of bolts 2532 which extend through elongated slots in the base 29B for the purpose of permitting such adjustment of the base as may be necessary to insure a free running connection ber tween the screw Sii and the swivel block ISE. The screw 313 is driven from the crank 28 by connections including a bevel gear 2M xed to the lower end of the screw, a second bevel gear 265 which meshes with the gear 235i, and a shaft' 238 on one i,

end of which the gear 23 is nxed. The other end of this shaft has a socket in which the crank 28 is received. The intermediate portion of the shaft 29S is rotatably mounted in a bearing Qi which is integral with the base 2635i and coaxial with the s bearing 98.

The carriage 35 is made of a number of steel angles which are welded together to form an open box-like structure having a rectangular top section 242 and a similar bottom section Elli. These sections are connected by `four corner posts 29 and a series of diagonal braces EIB. A freely rotatable connection between the carriage 34 and the pedestal 35 is provided by a pair of hubs Bt,

Z22 which are connected to the sections Zit and 2 U3 respectively by a number of radially disposed braces (not shown). The hub 222 rests upon a iange 22d which is integral with the pedestal S6 and is bored to receive a number of bolts 226 for securing the pedestal to the deck of a craft or vehicle on which the launcher is to be mounted.

As stated above, the frame 3d is rotated on the pedestal 3S, for the purpose of aiming the launcher in azimuth, by turning the crank 3S. This crank is fixed to a shaft 228 which is rotatably mounted in a pair of struts 23S which extend vertically between the sections 2&2 and 2id of the carriage. Fixed to the shaft 223 is a worm 232 which meshes with a worm gear 23d, the gear being fixed to the pedestal 36. It will now be evident that by turning the crank 38 the carriage 34, and hence the entire launcher, may be trained in any direction throughout a complete circle.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a rocket launcher, a launching way, a magazine through which rockets are advanced by gravity toward a iiring position on said way, a gate for controlling the advance of the rockets into firing position, said gate being mounted to move in synchronism with the advance of the leading rocket into the ring position, means for immobilizing said gate to stop the leading rocket short of the firing position, and connections actuated by one rocket of a succession of rockets behind the leading rocket for rendering said means inoperative until the supply of rockets in said magazine has been reduced to a predetermined number.

2. In a rocket launcher, a launching way, a magazine through which rockets are advanced by gravity toward a ring position on said way, a gate for controlling the advance of the rockets into iiring position, said gate being mounted to rotate in response to the movement of the leading rocket into firing position, locking means constructed and arranged normally to immobilize said gate with the leading rocket just short of the ring position, a trigger associated with said magazine and disposed in the path of the rockets in said magazine, and connections between said trigger and locking means for releasing said locking means from said gate in response to pressure against said trigger of one of the rockets in said magazine behind the leading rocket when the said leading rocket is just short of the firing position.

3. In a rocket launcher, a launching way, a magazine through which rockets are advanced toward a ring position on said Way, a gate having a plurality of bars which are adapted in succession to support a rocket just short of the ring position, said gate being mounted to rotate idly in response to the weight of a rocket thereon, a pawl arranged to cooperate with said gate to prevent retrograde rotation thereof, and means for immobilizing said gate to support the leading rocket just short of the firing position, said means comprising a latch arranged to engage said gate, a trigger mounted on said magazine and arranged to extend into the path of one rocket ci a succession of rockets in said magazine behind the leading rocket. and connections between said trigger and latch for retracting said latch from said gate when said trigger is actuated.

WILLIAM V. GOODHUE. CI-IESTER W. CARTER.

No references cited. 

